Terukazu Tanaka facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Terukazu Tanaka | ||
| Date of birth | July 14, 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender, Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–2000 | Gamba Osaka | ||
| 2001–2003 | Yokkaichi Chuo Kogyo High School | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2008 | Omiya Ardija | 19 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Yokohama FC | 55 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Sagan Tosu | 32 | (0) |
| 2012 | Real Salt Lake | 4 | (0) |
| 2013 | PTT Rayong | 23 | (2) |
| 2014 | Sisaket | 19 | (0) |
| 2015 | DRB-Hicom | 4 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Ang Thong | 27 | (0) |
| Total | 183 | (2) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Terukazu Tanaka (田中 輝和, Tanaka Terukazu, born July 14, 1985) is a Japanese football player. He mostly played as a defender or a Midfielder.
Contents
Terukazu Tanaka's Football Journey
Starting in Japan
Terukazu Tanaka began his football journey at a young age. He was part of the Gamba Osaka youth team from 1998 to 2000. This is the same youth team that another famous Japanese player, Keisuke Honda, also attended.
After his youth years, Tanaka started his professional career in Japan. He joined Omiya Ardija in 2004. He played for this club for five seasons. During this time, in 2006, he was chosen to play for the Japan National Team U-21. This means he was one of the best young players in Japan.
In 2009, Tanaka moved to Yokohama FC. He first joined them on a "loan," which is like borrowing a player for a period. He played so well that Yokohama FC decided to buy his contract. He started the 2010 season with Yokohama. Later in 2010, he went on loan again, this time to Sagan Tosu, where he stayed for the 2011 season too.
Playing in the United States
Terukazu Tanaka's talent was noticed by teams outside Japan. In 2012, he was scouted at a special tryout for Japanese professional footballers. He then traveled to the United States to try out for Real Salt Lake, a club in the MLS. The MLS is the top football league in the U.S.
On March 1, 2012, Real Salt Lake officially signed Tanaka. He made his first appearance in an MLS game on April 4, 2012. He played against the Montreal Impact. This made him only the second Japanese player ever to play in Major League Soccer. The first was Kosuke Kimura. Later that year, on May 26, Tanaka made his first "assist" in the MLS. An assist is when a player helps set up a goal for a teammate. His assist led to a goal by Alvaro Saborio against FC Dallas.
Tanaka played for Real Salt Lake for a short time. He left the club after they signed another player, Kenny Mansally.
Adventures in Thailand
After leaving the MLS, Terukazu Tanaka moved to Thailand to continue his football career. He first joined PTT Rayong F.C. in 2013. The next year, in 2014, he moved to Sisaket F.C., which played in the Thai Premier League, one of Thailand's top leagues.
He continued to play in Thailand for several more years. In 2015, he played for DRB-Hicom F.C.. From 2016 to 2017, he played for Ang Thong F.C.. Throughout his career, Terukazu Tanaka played in different countries and leagues, showing his dedication to football.
See also
In Spanish: Terukazu Tanaka para niños
